Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-03-18
BARNABY'S CROSS.
Nv IlIAS. A. DE WITT.

IiT gil1AS. a. DE WITT.
Many years ago, when such things as
railroads were al unknown factor in COM
..nerce, and Tho transportation of travellers
To and fro ACROSS the State of Illinois was
tho work of vehicles, Barnaby Munson was
one Of The drivers on that line of stage
route running from Vincennes, Indiana, 10
the then thriving town of st. Louis. To
make the trip was the work of about six
days, and, az a matter of course, was a
mission fraueht with more Or less danger,
scr the country through which the stage
line ran whom first established was wild
as,d ~untrammelcd, and the great timber
bells and broad prairies were marked by
scarce Il human labitation, save at inter-
walls OF about forty miles, when stations
had been fixed for the NECESSARY change Ct
horses. Or whom some adventurous pioneer,
firing OF the society of his fellow man, had
wandered out into q life Of freedom from
restraint. such as Is only found in q new
and unsettled country.
Much of The trip must he made after
sightfall. in tho warmer months, owing to
the enormous sWarlns Of mosquitoes and
swamp-tiies. which would, during the day,
attack man and beast fercely, and whose
stings were so painful as to make it abso-
1uhels impossible to force the horses to
their work. This night driving was the
more dangerous from the fact that St.
Louis was then infested with a gang of
desperadoes whose lawlessness knew no
limit, aud whose boast it was that they
wele the terror Of the entire community.
Several times had the stage been held up
and robbed Of the mail-bags, and loud
were the complaints of the travellers who
had been compelled to submit to the de-
mands Of tho robbers. Time and again
had guards been sent with the coach. but
all TO no avail. The road-agents seemed
10 be aware of any movement on the part
of the company 10 effect their capture, and
always avoided making any attack when
the guard had been dispatched with the
stage. This guard was . source Of heavy
expense 10 the company, and at intervals
their services were dispensed with, and, as
q consequence. the mail, and whatever
passengers might be aboard, were invari-
ably assessed "toll" by the h~ighwaymen.
AT tho time when Barnaby Munson was
given II place upon the route robberies had
beer more than usually numerous, and
each driver was required to 60 heavily
armed. and hone but men believed to be
possessed Of enerye'' were, engaged at any
price: and in fact, but few men sought SC
dangerous and trying employment.
Onstho. 18th Of August Barnaby Munson
drove out of Vincennes with the large mail
s2,ags and nine passengers, an unusually
'neayy load. for. as a rule, there were few
who wished to chance a six days stage trip,
when III the saddle could be made much
better time. Seven Of the passengers whom
Barnaty carried were men, the other two
more chan 10 years Of age. They were the
daughters Of George Leeson, a we'll known
specuiator then in st. Louis, and were on
Hheir way to their father from the home Of
\ maiden aunt. with whom they had beer
-esiding.
Among the non was one to whom, or
@first-sight. Barnaby took an immediate dis
like. and a feeling of distrust took pos.
session Of him. And certainly it was moi
without cause. for a more ll-favored coun-
tenance is seldom bestowed upon a man.
This distrust was shared by the remainder
of tho passengers who bore evident tokens
of responsibility. From their conversation
enough could be Cleaned to convince one
that they were bound for the West in the
hope Of increasing their worldly posses
sions i'll mining and speculations. That
they possessed little beyond what they car
.ried with them non could doubt, and il
there Mad been n it would have been re-
solved intosa certainty, when, in a general
way, they began taking stock of their per-
sonal effects.
After each had enumerated his belong
:ings and settled comfortably into their re-
, spectivc seats. n Of their number VEN
tured to question the ill-favored man as to
what his lay in the West might be.
ooh, my business" said he. "is that of
Speculation. My stock in trade is in my
belt" and he significantly touched the han
dies Of two large navy revolvers.
This reply did not serve 10 place the pas
sengers wholly at their ease, and all felt
relieved whom. on the fifth day of their
journey, and only about forty miles from
St Losis. (having made extra time by driv-
M long hours. } he called to Barnaby and
said:
"3Iy suan. [ will get down here. My road
Ties over yon. and I'll take the nearest way;
but I'll see you again. Good day, gentle-
men" and whaiing upon his heel, before
Barnaby could recover from his surprise
enough 70 mako o reply, he disappeared in
.some- thick bushes that lined the roadside.